The sun., 1887-06-02

The Farmers Representatives Heartily Endorse
the Interstate Commerce Law and Issue Ad.
dresses.


the Interstate Commerce Law and Issue Ad.
dresses.
The srring meeting OF the executive board
of the Farmers alliance was in session at
st. Paul with President Barrett, Secretary
Olson, and Messrs. Haigh, Diamond, Can
ming, Atwood, Hodgson and Boen present.
Olson, Barrett, Diamond, Hague and Fur.
long were appointed as delegates to the
business mems convention at Mankato on
June z. There was considerable discussion
in regard to railroads and other topics OF
interest to the farmer.
The address proposed and adopted by
the alliance may be summarized as fol-
lows:
To the Interstate Commerce Commission:
Vigorously enforce the law, especially the
long and short haul clause. Discrimina-
tion in favor localities in the greatest pres
ent railroad abuse. Such business interests
as can be sustained only by reason OF the
suspension OF section 4, it seems to us
ought not to be sustained at ALL We urge
the enforcement OF equal and reasonable
rates. There must be freedom OF traffic
| everywhere. 1t is not reasonable that rail-
way officials should vote themselves enor-
nous salaries while employees are paid mea-
ger salaries. We urge the commission to con-
slider the propriety OF considering the en-
tire management of railway expenditures
with view OF correcting gross evils. A
railway will pay one of it's attorneys
more for a few hours talk before the
premc court OF the United States than the
chief justice receives for years service.
To the State Railroad Commission: We
call your attention to the fact that our
| citizens are being levied upon to
| pay interest upon nearly 100000, 600
OF fictitious capital The last
lnv cl.{, {1n,,,
| press this gigantic fraud. The people of
the state look to the commission to take
| effective measures to relieve them from the
| payment OF unreasonable rates amounting
in the aggregate to nearly $40, 600, 900 an
nually. We request the enforcement OF
the Hixon law. Every obstacle in the way
OF reaching Duluth by easy and direct
| routes must be removed. We believe these,
the following rates to be liberal and ask
| for their enforcement: For all distances
| over 20 miles and under 80, 4 cents
| per 100 pounds; over 80 and under so,
| 4 1-2 cents; over so and under rs, 3 cents;
| over 75 and under 100. 5 1-2 cents; over
| 100 and under $50, 6 1-2 cents: for all
distances over 165 miles and less than
| 800, from 1-2 to II 1-2 cents. according
! to distances; all distances between
16 cents. We are gratifed to see
| that there has been a slight reduction
| in incoming frelghts.
| To the Governor We would remind him
| that he is responsible for the faithful en-
| forcement OF the laws. We hail with sat
| isfaction the organization lately founded
| by the business men OF Minnesota.
The members OF the board called on the
railroad commissions. The conference
was quite general in it's nature, and a
number OF points in the railroad law were
| touched upon. Gen. Becker, Of the COM
mission, in answer to question as to
who had authority to enforce the Hixon
freedom OF traffic law, said that such au-
| thority was vested in the attorney general.
The report OF the treasurer OF the alli-
ance showed balance of $293 in the
treasury. There are 4S2 subordinate
alliances organized and 2S county organ
izations. In the discussion over raising
| OF funds for the support OF the work OF
| the board it was decided to depend upon
volunteer contributions until next fall,
when some other plan will probably be
presented and adopted. An address to the
subordinate alliances prepared by Messrs.
Hodgson, Haieh and Canning. was present
ed and adopted. 1t congratulates them
upon the tlourishing condition OF the alli-
| ance, urges them to renewed efforts to
remedy their wrongs, interstate commerce
law, and intimates that had it not been
| for the action OF the alliance in the legis-
| lature last winter the then pending inter
state bill might never have passed con-
gress.